Alycia Baumgardner Challenges Caroline Dubois: Prove Your Worth Before a Fight
Alycia Baumgardner remains firm that Caroline Dubois must establish herself further before a potential showdown can occur. Baumgardner, the unified WBA, WBO, and IBF super-featherweight world champion, is set to defend her titles against Bo Mi Re Shin on Saturday, live on Sky Sports. Dubois recently defeated Terri Harper for the WBC and WBO lightweight world championship, calling out Baumgardner post-fight. However, Baumgardner emphasized that Dubois needs to continue building her reputation as a champion before a fight can be considered. She stated, "Every fight is a potential fight. I think Caroline on her end needs to continue to build who she is as a champion." Baumgardner pointed out that while Dubois talks about becoming undisputed at 135lbs, she is focusing on defending her titles at 130lbs. She believes Dubois should invest more effort into her career before challenging her directly, mentioning, "I have done my part, I've shown plenty of times that I put on great shows and I became undisputed." Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, suggested that Dubois should clean up her division first, which would enhance the significance of a future fight with Baumgardner. He noted that Stephanie Han is set to fight Holly Holm for the WBA lightweight title, presenting an opportunity for Dubois. If Baumgardner successfully defends her titles, she could be on a path to face Caroline Veyre, the current WBC champion at 130lbs, as both promoters expressed strong interest in making that fight happen. Most Valuable Promotions aims to elevate women's boxing, with Bidarian stating their goal is to create a comprehensive roster of female fighters. He emphasized the importance of making women's boxing significant within the broader combat sports landscape, inspired by the success of figures like Ronda Rousey. In addition to Baumgardner vs. Shin, the event at Madison Square Garden features Shadasia Green against Lani Daniels for WBO and IBF super-middleweight titles, with the winner potentially facing Claressa Shields in the future.
Source: Sky Sports - 2026-04-17